The Best Moment
by Star of Arabia
Summary: When Katara has a nightmare, who else but the Avatar can comfort her. Oneshot. Really fluffy! Please R'N'R


This is my first fan fic so I hope you enjoy it. I'm totally open to constructive criticism but please no flames! On with the chapter…

Disclaimer: As much I want to I don't own Avatar:TLA so don't sue.

Please R'N'R

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**Aang's conscience is in bold!**

_Aang's thoughts are in Italics. (As well as the letter)_

A.N In this story lets Katara CAN climb trees, otherwise the story won't make sense.

**The best moment**

**Aang's P.O.V)**

Today is going to be a good day.

I had a good idea why I thought that thought, as the day didn't look like it was going to get any better. Maybe worst, but probably not better.

The sky was a clear, crystal blue. It was similar in colour to her eyes. Those beautiful eyes that haunted me every time I went to sleep, and of late, every waking moments too.

Even the sky, as beautiful as it was, couldn't compare to those eyes. And even more amazing than those eyes, was the person they belonged too.

I gazed around the camp that the dawn sun had only just reached. There was Sokka drooling slightly, lying next to a sleeping Appa. Toph's earth tent was still erected, and loud snoring was coming from that direction reaching my ears.

As I gazed around the almost silent campsite I searched for the person who meant more to me than life itself. As my eyes fell upon her empty sleeping bag, panic seeped itself into my heart.

I sprang off Appa's tail and rushed over to her bag. I fumbled quickly through her bag not finding anything until my hands brushed over a note. I rapidly pulled it from the bag and read it:

_Dear Aang_

_I'm going for a walk near the stream to clear_

_my head. No need to wake Sokka or Toph, _

_because they probably want, and in Sokka's_

_case - need, a few more hours sleep._

_Katara_

I sighed in relief as I finished the note. She was okay. Still, I thought she would've wanted some company on this walk.

**And you want to spend every waking moment with her.**

Ahhh... my inner conscience. It's been a while since I heard from you.

_And no I want to make sure she's okay, not spend every waking moment with her. _

**Yes you do.**

_And why would I want to do that?_

**Because you love her. Duh.**

_Damn. How true. Why must my conscience __**always**__ be right, about stuff like this._

Even though I knew I loved her, I knew I could never have her. But I still dream and think about her every single night and day. About how gentle she is. About how caring she is. About how perfect she is. About how much I love her.

It's quite depressing, actually. About how much I care for her, and about how much I'm going to miss her when she's gone, since she's never going to know how I feel. I'm not worthy of her.

She deserves so much better than me. Since I love her with all of my heart, all I want for her is to be happy. I know I wouldn't be able to give that to her. But another man could. He could give her everything I couldn't like a family and a safe home. Away from all the pain and terror in the world.

I shudder at that last thought. It may ripe me apart to see her with another man, but she deserves it. She's done so much for me.

It's the least I could do for her.

And that's why I can't tell her how I feel.

She's the perfect woman to me; the perfect human being with no flaws. Then I take a look at myself, and I realise I'm just a bald kid with tattoos on a treacherous mission to save the world from overwhelming evil. When I compare her to me, it's like comparing everything in the universe, to nothing.

Yeah, it's a match made in heaven.

Puh-lease.

Only in my dreams will I have her.

Then if that's the case, I'm seriously considering going to sleep forever; since that seems to be the only way I'm ever going to be with her. Of course, I'm going to have to save the world first.

Damn.

As I walked hurriedly away from the camp, I followed the little dirt track with the stream flowing nearby, where Katara and I practise our water bending. I've never really taken much notice of my surroundings when I'm in this area, as the only time I've really been in this area is with Katara, and I can't keep my eyes off her. Now that I am alone, I can really start to see my surroundings. I noticed little purple flowers by the dirt track.

I entered the clearing around the river and gazed around. No Katara. I looked back along the flower lined track to see if I'd missed her, as I had been too busy studying my surroundings.

Just as I'm starting to panic that she's been kidnapped by Fire Nation soldiers and being tortured to reveal information about where we are, I hear a sound.

To me her voice was like a sweet symphony.

"Aang? Aang! What are you doing? I'm up here."

I swivelled on my heel towards the voice, and I see Katara was sitting in a tall Pine tree next to the swirling crystal water of the stream. She looked so beautiful, that I thought if I had the equipment, I could've painted her, and she would always have been the picture of perfection.

Her chocolate mousse coloured hair flowed gracefully in the wind and her mocha skin was bathed in the orange colours of the dawn light. She was leaned up against the trunk of the pine tree, with her legs neatly pressed up against her chest. She looked down at me with those beautiful azure eyes as she hugged her knees close to her

I used a combination of climbing and air bending to reach her quickly. She looked so peaceful and at ease up there. It was as if she had been touched by an angel. No, I take that back, she was an angel

"Katara, are you okay? The note you left said that you needed to clear your head for a while." I couldn't help it but a little concern crept into my voice.

"Hey Aang. Yeah I'm fine, don't worry about it."

I took a closer look at her face. I was shocked to find tear stains along her cheeks. A pang of sadness flew through me, and my knees suddenly began to give way, I had to sit down quickly on the branch opposite her otherwise I'd end up falling off the branch.

"Katara, please tell me what's wrong. You've been crying. I can see the tear stains down your cheeks. Please tell me what's wrong."

"Aang its nothing." She looked tentatively at my completely unconvinced expression I wore on my face.

"Aang, really, it's nothing. The so-called tear stains are from the rain. It was raining a few moments ago..." she sighed "Please, I don't need your guidance right now. I just need to be myself for a moment. Please go back to camp; I was going to go back in a few minutes anyway."

I was taken aback at this comment, but I decide to question her further anyway. I couldn't stand to see her like this, and I knew she was lying to me. If it had rained, the tents would be wet as would everything else outside.

"Katara, please tell me. Wasn't it you who always told me not to keep my feelings bottled up inside? That it would only make things worst. Don't you remember?"

Katara sighed deeply at my words and turned to look straight at me. I am overwhelmed at the depth of the misery in her azure eyes.

"Okay, You win. I guess I do say that. If you really want to know... I had a nightmare last night. It was so vivid, so real, that it left me waking up in the middle of the night sweating and panting. It scared me so much"

I could sense she was gathering up her jumble of mixed emotions and putting them back into order so that she could continue. I didn't say anything; I just kept a neutral expression on my face.

Inside though, my heart was in turmoil. Katara had a nightmare? She always seemed so strong, so powerful; I never knew a nightmare could upset her so much as this one evidently had.

"It was... It was about the Fire Lord" Katara closed her eyes as she tried to focus again.

"I remember watching my tribe being attacked and killed again. I watched as mum told Sokka and I to go and inside and hide, and to remain there until everything was safe. I remember the feeling when I heard her scream out in pain" Katara paused to sniff before taking another big gulp of air and continued.

"Suddenly... it all switched to the future. Now I was watching you fighting Ozai, and you were badly wounded. I tried to heal you, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn't properly cure you. I had to watch you die... a-and.. there was n-n-nothing I could do-o-o... I... I let the people's only hope of d-defeating the F-Fire Lord and restoring peace drift away"

Now Katara was crying. Crystal tears flowed freely down her face. I just sat there feeling like someone had stabbed fire daggers in my heart.

_She had nightmares about me? That couldn't be a good sign, could it?_

**Well obviously. Duh**

_Oh is that all,?_

_Pretty much, yeah._

I was stumped into silence. What could I say? Nothing useful sprang to mind so I did what was the only thing I could think of that might make Katara feel better.

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and gave her, what I hoped, a comforting hug. I think she was quite taken-aback with my actions because she stopped crying instantly. I tried to hide my tomato-red face, but it's kind of hard when you're lacking in hair.

_What am I doing? Am I insane? I can't hug her. I'm going to get too attached_

**How many times do you think this will happen in your life? You're older than 100 and you've only had one hug from the opposite sex, and THIS IS IT!**

I happily complied and pulled her closer. She rested her head against my shoulder, and I thanked the Spirits that I had finally had a much awaited growth spurt, so this position was actually possible.

We sat like that for what seemed like eternity, but in reality could have only been a few minutes.

"Thanks Aang. I feel much better now. I guess I needed to let that out."

She sat up slowly and turned to face me. Her face split into a wondrous smile. Then she suddenly leaned forward and kissed me.

Right on the lips.

Right on **my** lips.

For longer than a second!

I felt like I was in heaven. Katara was kissing me. Not on the cheek, but on the lips. The girl of my dreams was actually kissing me. And she was doing it without being forced to, like in the cave of two lovers. Even though we never actually kissed, but I was so close, then the damn cave opened so we never go to start.

She tasted so sweet. Just like I imagined.

She pulled back and blushed bright scarlet and I was sure I wasn't all that pale myself.

"Umm... I... sorry... wait... I mean..." Katara stuttered.

I simply smiled at her and whispered, "Ready to head back?"

Katara smiled sheepishly back and nodded.

"Yeah."

I gently picked her up off the branch and held her bridal style, and jumped off the tree branch, air bending so we fell slowly to the ground. Once we reached the ground, I placed her upright and gave her a wink.

She started to walk ahead, but then promptly turned around and outstretched her hand.

I gladly complied and took the offered hand and gave it a small squeeze, and started walking back to camp.

Yes. Today was going to be a brilliant day. I could feel it.

**End**

Well that's it. My first fic. EVER! Woot. I feel all satisfied now. YAY ME!

Even though it is my first fic I don't want people being all gentle with their reviews. I can take it! Lol.

I have a thank-you to make to my beta Alix. Yes A.L.I.X Isn't it cool.

Thanks Ali I couldn't have done it without u!

MLC FOREVER!!!


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